"This October, author Neil Gaiman returns to the realm of the Endless for an eagerly anticipated tale that will bring readers back to one of the most critically-acclaimed comic book series ever," reads DC Comics' solicitation for the issue.

"The Sandman: Overture will unite Gaiman with visionary artist JH Williams III and reveal a previously untold story in the Sandman mythos."

Sandman: Overture serves as a prequel miniseries to Gaiman's iconic Sandman title, and sees the writer revisit the character alongside original artist Dave McKean, who has also provided cover sketches for the new series.

The series get under way with the release of issue #1 next month, followed by issue #2 in December.